Can AI teach us how animals think?

AI is helping decode animal emotions by analysing vocal patterns across species, offering insights into welfare and behaviour. Tools developed for pigs, whales, dogs, and bees show promise in agriculture, conservation, and healthcare. However, ethical concerns remain about interpretation, responsibility, and ensuring technology genuinely benefits animals rather than exploiting them.

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EV penetration in domestic 2W mkt can rise to 40% by FY31: Ather Energy

Ather Energy projects electric two-wheeler (E2W) penetration in India could reach 40% by FY31 in an optimistic scenario, driven by EV launches, government support, and infrastructure growth. The E2W market is expected to grow at 41% CAGR, with scooters leading adoption. Ather is also expanding production capacity significantly.

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AI to shape security of our future: Lt Gen Manoj Katiyar

Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar emphasised AI's vital role in future warfare at a seminar in Chandimandir, calling it essential for security and defence. He urged military-technological synergy, ethical responsibility, and collaboration with industry and academia to ensure readiness, innovation, and superiority in an increasingly contested global environment.

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ByteDance's TikTok puts up job openings for Gurgaon office on LinkedIn

TikTok, the popular ByteDance-owned short video app banned in India, has posted two job openings at its Gurgaon-based office on LinkedIn. It’s looking for a content moderator (Bengali speaker) and wellbeing partnership and operations lead.

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Musk's xAI sues engineer for allegedly taking secrets to OpenAI

Elon Musk's xAI has filed a lawsuit against a former engineer, Xuechen Li. The lawsuit alleges Li stole confidential information related to the Grok chatbot. xAI claims Li took the secrets to OpenAI after accepting a job there. The company seeks monetary damages and a restraining order.

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Cognizant to deploy 1,000 context engineers to industrialise agentic AI

Cognizant is investing in 'agentic AI' by training 1,000 context engineers and partnering with Workfabric AI. This initiative aims to leverage the ContextFabric platform to transform organizational data into actionable context for AI agents. CEO Ravi Kumar S emphasizes the importance of context in the LLM era, positioning Cognizant to drive scalable AI adoption for clients.

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'Semiconductors are new steel to build India’s eco-tech security': CG Power’s Vellayan Subbiah

Murugappa group company’s chairman Vellayan Subbiah called semiconductors the “new steel,” stressing IP ownership as vital for economic security. Through Axiro Semiconductor and an OSAT plant, the company targets design-led value, ecosystem building, and global competitiveness to strengthen India’s technological autonomy.

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Meta's Zuckerberg presses Trump on digital taxes before tariff threat: Report

Days after the meeting, Trump threatened countries that have digital taxes with "subsequent additional tariffs" on their goods if those nations do not remove such legislation.

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Malaysia unveils first edge AI processor MARS1000

SkyeChip is a Malaysian chip design firm specialising in AI and high-performance computing. An edge AI processor is a specialised chip designed to run AI-based tasks directly on devices rather than relying on distant cloud servers or data centres.

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Looking for your first job? You're AI's prime target

A Stanford study reveals a concerning trend: entry-level positions in AI-exposed fields like tech and customer support are declining due to automation. Younger workers are disproportionately affected, experiencing a 13% employment drop since late 2022. While experienced professionals remain stable, this shift raises concerns about future talent gaps and the need for adaptation in education and policy.

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ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Midas Touch

The award will recognise the most lucrative exit in the year. The decision will be made based on the volume of deals as well as the size of the exit.​​

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Apple to hold fall event on September 9, new iPhones expected

Apple announced Tuesday it will hold its annual fall event on September 9, where it is widely expected to unveil the latest iPhones, Apple Watches, and other hardware updates.

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Babycare quick commerce platform Peeko raises $3.2 million in round led by Stellaris Venture Partners

Angel investors, including Maninder Gulati, former chief strategy officer at Oyo; Kunal Bahl & Rohit Bansal, cofounders of Titan Capital; Abhishek Goyal, cofounder of Tracxn; Nitin Gupta, founder and chief executive of Uni; and Arjun Vaidya, cofounder of V3 Ventures, also participated. The Bengaluru-based curated babycare products firm will use the funds to enhance its product experience, expand supply, and hire talent.

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One 97 Communications approves investments in subsidiaries via rights issue

One 97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, has approved investments in its subsidiaries through a rights issue, enabling the company to infuse fresh capital, and support growth initiatives.

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Analysts see online platforms hiring 15% more this festival season; but onboarding faces delay

Per Teamlease, the rise in festival season hiring will largely be driven by demand in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. While the proposed hiring numbers are higher than last year, platforms are exercising caution in onboarding the workers in view of last year’s sluggish demand.

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ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Best on Campus

The Best on Campus award will showcase a startup whose impact can be judged both by the idea and the execution. The founders should have been students whose aim was to build a commercial enterprise.

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Centre injects Rs 211 crore into Indian space sector under 'fund of funds for startups' scheme: Union minister Piyush Goyal

India has invested Rs 211 crore under the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) scheme to boost space-tech innovation, Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced.

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Musk says xAI open sources Grok 2.5

Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI has open-sourced its Grok 2.5 model, with plans to release Grok 3 in about six months.

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Silicon Valley is in its 'hard tech' era

Silicon Valley has shifted from its Web 2.0 heyday of perks and consumer apps to a more intense AI-driven era. With fewer frills and tougher tech, the focus is now on neural networks, GPUs, and defence startups, as San Francisco reclaims its place as the heart of global innovation.

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Online Gaming Act: Dream 11, My11Circle shut down real money games

Dream11 and My11Circle have ceased real-money gaming offerings following the enactment of a law banning such services. Other companies like Zupee and MPL are also discontinuing or suspending real-money games. Companies are exploring alternative advertising models and international markets to mitigate the impact of the new regulations, while also considering legal challenges based on previous court rulings favoring skill-based gaming.

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Sam Altman to visit India next month

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning a visit India in September, as the company is set to open its first office in the country later this year. The company has established a legal entity and is actively hiring a local team to make AI more accessible across the country.

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ETtech Deals Digest: Startups raise $269 million this week, up 19% on-year

The number of deals during the week was down to 15 transactions, compared to 31 in the corresponding week of the previous year.

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Govt commits 97% of funds earmarked for chip manufacturing

The Indian government has committed approximately Rs 62,900 crore, 97% of the Rs 65,000 crore fund, as incentives for semiconductor production. With limited funds remaining, only a few small projects can be accommodated. The Semicon India 2025 event, featuring delegates from 33 countries and top executives, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from September 2-4.

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Google to offer Gemini to US agencies at $0.50 per agency a year

Google has launched Gemini for Government, joining OpenAI and Anthropic in offering AI services to US federal agencies at minimal cost. Priced under $0.50 per agency annually, this partnership with the GSA provides access to Google's AI tools like NotebookLM and Veo. This move supports the GSA's OneGov Strategy and the President's AI Action Plan.

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US IT firm Kyndryl to invest $2.25 billion in India over three years

Kyndryl will invest with a focus on talent development and setting up an AI lab in India. The company aims to modernise infrastructure, as well as support India's digital goals, including AI, cybersecurity, and IT modernisation.

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Anthropic targets nearly $5 billion in upcoming funding

Iconiq Capital will reportedly invest about $1 billion in the deal while Qatar Investment Authority and Singapore’s sovereign fund GIC may also participate in the round. Other potential investors include Amazon, which has previously held major funding for the startup.

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Anthropic eyes close to $5 billion in new funding round

Iconiq Capital will reportedly invest about $1 billion in the deal while Qatar Investment Authority and Singapore’s sovereign fund GIC may also participate in the round. Other potential investors include Amazon, which has previously held major funding for the startup.

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Whenever the US vacates policy space, China wins : ITI Council President Jason Oxman

Oxman questions whether testing infrastructure can meet needs of India-specific data centre certification regime. He cautioned India against adopting China’s AI model, urging investment in open AI infrastructure, global data flows, and semiconductors.

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India leads the world in AI-driven leadership transformation: Microsoft report

Indian organisations are rapidly adopting Artificial Intelligence. Microsoft's report indicates a significant move towards AI-driven workforce enhancement. Ninety-three percent of Indian leaders plan to use AI agents soon. Frontier Firms are redesigning operations around human-agent collaboration. Many leaders are already using AI to automate processes. This shift enables organisations to scale faster.

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UIDAI onboards satcom major Starlink for Aadhar-based customer verification

Elon Musk's Starlink, a global internet provider, will use Aadhaar e-KYC to simplify user onboarding. It will ensure regulatory compliance and deliver high-speed internet. Aadhaar authentication will be voluntary. This partnership highlights the scalability of India's digital infrastructure. It also promotes innovation in service delivery.

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93% of Indian business leaders plan to use AI agents in next 12-18 months : Microsoft

​​Highlighting how Indian companies are ahead of their global counterparts in adopting generative AI tools, the report has pointed out productivity, creativity, and security have emerged as the biggest drivers of change.

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Beyond hype, AI becoming workplace reality for white-, blue-collar workers: Study

Per ‘The Work Ahead’ report by jobs portal Indeed, two in 10 blue-collar workers are already using GenAI at work. The study was conducted across over 3,000 white- and blue-collar workers across India.

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Proposed online gaming bill could wipe out India’s real money gaming sector, push users offshore, warn industry leaders

The Union Cabinet has approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 which seeks to encourage e-sports and social online games but proposes a blanket ban on real-money gaming. Stakeholders warned that outright prohibition could backfire, pushing users to illegal offshore gambling and unregulated platforms.

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AI breakthroughs spur race for superintelligence

ET traces the major LLM launches of 2025 — dubbed as the Year of AI model breakthroughs — and decodes the big hits and misses of the year so far.

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Artha’s Select Fund closes at Rs 432 crore to back top portfolio startups

Artha India Ventures has successfully closed its Artha Select Fund at Rs 432 crore, exceeding its initial target. The fund will invest in 12-14 startups, focusing on spacetech, fintech infrastructure, premium consumer goods, and applied AI, with investments around Rs 20 crore each. Indian family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals are the primary capital source.

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EU push to protect digital rules holds up trade statement with US: Report

EU officials said disagreements over language relating to "non-tariff barriers", which the US said include the digital rules, are among the reasons for the hold-up of the statement.

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CoreWeave IPO investors sitting on big gains get chance to sell

For holders of more than 80% of CoreWeave’s Class A shares, with the IPO lockup expiring two days after its second earnings release as a public company. The stock plunged 33% in those two days, in part, analysts say, in anticipation of a flood of selling.

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CEOs want their companies to adopt AI. But do they get it themselves?

Top executives are struggling to adopt AI tools despite recognising their transformative potential. CEOs are experimenting with ways to encourage hands-on use among senior leaders, including demos and team exercises. Younger staff tend to engage more naturally, prompting companies to bridge the gap through exposure, experimentation, and shared learning.

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Meta probed over AI chatbot talk with children

A US senator on Friday announced an investigation into whether Meta AI chatbots were allowed to engage in potentially harmful online exchanges with children. Hawley said the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he heads, will start an investigation into whether Meta generative AI products "enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children."

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As regulatory curbs seem to ease fintechs bet on festive spark in unsecured lending play

After a period of slowdown due to regulatory measures, the digital lending sector anticipates a turnaround in FY26, fueled by the upcoming festive season. Fintechs and traditional lenders are cautiously optimistic, observing signs of easing stress in the unsecured credit market. Lenders are revisiting risk weights and recalibrating partnerships, expecting a strong second half driven by increased demand.

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AI startup Cohere valued at $6.8 billion in latest fundraise, appoints new executives

The funding round was led by Radical Ventures and Inovia Capital, with participation from existing investors AMD Ventures, NVIDIA, PSP Investments, and Salesforce Ventures, among others.

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Aditya Birla Group's TMRW to raise Rs 437 crore from ServiceNow Ventures

The company said it will leverage ServiceNow AI platform to enhance its speed-to-market, focused assortments and consumer experiences across its omni-channel footprint.

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Pixxel-led consortium bags L1 bid in India’s first EO-PPP, Rs 1,200 crore project

Over the next four years, the winning consortium will invest over Rs 1,200 crore to deploy 12 satellites carrying optical, hyperspectral, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors. These satellites will provide high-resolution data for agriculture, urban planning, disaster management, climate monitoring, and national security.

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P2P firms seek life support as tough regulations sink businesses

Industry executives told ET that overall assets under management through non-banking financial company P2Ps have plunged more than 85% to about Rs 1,500 crore from more than Rs 10,000 crore a year ago.

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Bengaluru Tech Summit: Karnataka launches ‘Katalyst’ to fast-track GCC setup

Addressing over 200 CEOs at a breakfast meet in the run-up to the BTS, chief minister Siddaramaiah said KATALYST will be a dedicated ease of doing business cell to support GCCs in the state. The one-stop window will fast-track setting up GCCs to under 45 days, offer a single-point GCC handbook, and streamline industry connect and incentive queries, the CM said.

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Flipkart Minutes adds gourmet range to attract buyers seeking premium products

Flipkart Minutes’ gourmet offerings are now live in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Going forward, it will be expanded to more cities. Interestingly, consumers in tier-2 markets are also showing a liking for these gourmet products.

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MeitY jumpstarts talks on data centre policy to boost capacity

The IT ministry aims to streamline approvals and promote domestic manufacturing with the policy with focus is on evenly distributing data centres across India. It is considering incentives and a single-window arrangement for permissions. The Centre may even adopt elements from various state policies.

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Truemeds closes $85 million funding led by Accel and Peak XV Partners

Truemeds, a telehealth platform, has received $85 million in funding. Accel and Peak XV Partners led the investment round. The company plans to expand its fulfillment centers and team. They will also establish a technology hub in Bengaluru. Truemeds aims to triple its national presence. The platform competes with other e-pharmacies in India.

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How older people are reaping brain benefits from new tech

Research suggests older adults using technology show lower dementia risk, possibly due to mental challenges, social connections, and functional benefits. While risks like scams remain, balanced tech engagement may support cognitive health in aging populations.

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Uber's festering sexual assault problem

Publicly, the ride-sharing service proclaimed it was one of the safest options for travel, with aggressive media campaigns and polished reports on its website about the rarity of serious attacks. Inside Uber, teams of data scientists and safety experts spent years studying the problem. The company tested tools that proved effective at making trips safer, including sophisticated matching algorithms, mandatory video recording and pairing female passengers with female drivers.

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OpenAI's present priorities don't include IPO, says CEO Sam Altman

OpenAI has launched GPT-5, its most advanced AI model. It boasts improved accuracy and reduced errors. CEO Sam Altman clarified that an IPO is not an immediate priority. He expressed concerns about private share trading. India is now OpenAI's second-largest market after the US. The company aims to make AI more accessible and affordable in India through local partnerships.

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84% Gen Z consumers rely on GenAI for news interpretation: Google, Kantar report

The report titled, ‘Bridging the Gap: Reimagining News for Gen Z’ was prepared from a survey of over 4,000 Gen Z respondents (ages 15-28) spread across 40 markets and eight language clusters on news consumption patterns and underlying trends. Among the many interesting takeaways is that 43% of the respondents said they verify messages before sharing with others, while 49% distrust reports from unverified accounts.

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India's electronics exports up 47% to $12.4 billion in Q1 FY26

India's electronics exports are projected to surge by 30% annually, potentially exceeding $46 billion by FY26, fueled primarily by mobile phone shipments. The sector witnessed a 47% growth in the first fiscal quarter, with the US being a major export destination.

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UPI services restored after brief outage caused by bank-side technical issues says NPCI

UPI services faced a significant nationwide disruption on Thursday due to internal technical issues at certain participating banks, as confirmed by NPCI. This outage resulted in widespread transaction failures, impacting payments, fund transfers, and app access for numerous users. Despite this temporary setback, UPI continues to exhibit strong growth, with July transactions reaching a record high of 19.47 billion.

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TCS to roll-out wage hikes for about 80% of employees, effective September 1

The move to reward and retain talent comes at a time when TCS has decided to lay off over 12,000 employees as part of what it describes as a broader strategy to become a "future-ready organisation".

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BlueStone cuts IPO size to Rs 820 crore, to launch issue on August 11

BlueStone has scaled back its IPO size, aiming to raise Rs 820 crore in primary capital, less than the initially planned Rs 1,000 crore. The omnichannel jewellery retailer is eyeing a valuation of around Rs 7,800 crore with the public listing, lower than its previous funding round.

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Tesla, Elon Musk sued by shareholders over Robotaxi claims

Ilon Musk and Tesla face a lawsuit from shareholders. They allege securities fraud related to self-driving vehicles. The suit claims Tesla concealed safety risks. A recent robotaxi test showed vehicle malfunctions. Tesla's stock price dropped significantly after the test. Musk and Tesla are accused of overstating autonomous driving capabilities. The lawsuit seeks damages for shareholders during a specified period.

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Jeh Aerospace raises $11 million in round led by Elevation Capital

Existing investor General Catalyst participated in the funding round of the aerospace manufacturing startup. The fresh funds will be used to strengthen its operations and expand its workforce. The Atlanta-headquartered startup, which also operates out of Hyderabad, said it had secured $100 million in long-term contracts.

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Tesla grants CEO Musk $29 billion in stock to 'keep Elon's energies focused'

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Figma sheds $11 billion in market value days after blockbuster IPO

San Francisco, California-based Figma shares had scored a massive 250% gain during their market debut on Thursday when they were priced at $33 but finished at $115.50, giving the company a market capitalisation of about $56.3 billion.

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Kaynes looks to open Rs 4,995 crore components making unit in Tamil Nadu

This would mark the first large scale investment in PCB manufacturing in Tamil Nadu. It underscores plans by the state government to set up a new electronics manufacturing cluster in Thoothukudi—far from the established hubs of Sriperumbudur and Hosur.

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Brands press enter GEO to show up more in AI searches

Data suggests that LLM-based searches are likely to outpace plain vanilla Google searches by 2028. MyMuse is seeing a 10% increase in its monthly searches on ChatGPT since it started focusing on GEO. Softly offers GEO services to B2B, B2C and D2C companies. Asva AI is another startup helping companies improve their presence on these models. Industry experts are of the view that LLMs are particularly well suited for specific user queries and private information-seeking behaviour.

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Brands press enter; GEO to show up more in AI searches

Data suggests that LLM-based searches are likely to outpace plain vanilla Google searches by 2028. MyMuse is seeing a 10% increase in its monthly searches on ChatGPT since it started focusing on GEO. Softly offers GEO services to B2B, B2C and D2C companies. Asva AI is another startup helping companies improve their presence on these models. Industry experts are of the view that LLMs are particularly well suited for specific user queries and private information-seeking behaviour.

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Taiwan to face economic risk as US mulls semiconductor tariffs under Trump proposal: Think tank

Taiwan is bracing for a significant economic challenge as US President Donald Trump threatens to impose a tariff on semiconductors, according to the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER).

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Delta Air assures US lawmakers it will not personalise fares using AI

Delta said it has not used AI to set personalised prices but previously said it plans to deploy AI-based revenue management technology across 20% of its domestic network by the end of 2025 in partnership with Fetcherr, an AI pricing company.

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CCI closes startup body’s complaint against Google, refrains from probe

The start-up body had essentially challenged Google's alleged dominant position and "purportedly abusive behaviour" in the online search advertisement and online display advertisement markets.

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State government intervention not needed in TCS layoffs: Priyank Kharge

The government will only step in if it is demonstrated that AI upskilling incentives are in order to secure tech jobs, he said. This comes after Karnataka labour minister Santosh Lad asked the IT services company to explain the reason behind cutting nearly 12,000 jobs.

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Design software maker Figma's shares surge 158% in blowout market debut

The US initial public offerings market has bounced back after tariff-driven volatility briefly paused listings in April, putting 2025 on track to end a nearly three-year dry spell. Figma's valuation at debut far exceeds the $20 billion price tag from a now-abandoned buyout deal with industry giant Adobe in December 2023.

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Epic Games Store for Android will be coming to Google Play Store: CEO Tim Sweeney

This move aims to offer an alternative to Google’s ecosystem while supporting more open app marketplaces on mobile platforms.

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